Good to see that @Blackheath_1858’s head coach settled a split decision on who was man of the match the proper way: by giving it to whoever could down a pint of Guinness the fastest. How they should decide Sports Personality of the Year, or even the Nobel prizes

Halfway through the season and ⁦@Blackheath_1858⁩ are nicely placed. And our captain Billy Harding scored his 24th try in 13 matches, only one behind the club record for a full season. Much Christmas jollity and dubious jumpers in the bar afterwards

"It does not matter if they are Christian or atheist, Muslim or Jewish, so long as they know they are valued neighbours." 🙂

Always wash your hands after you leak: I wrote the @Telegraph sketch yesterday on why Rachel Reeves reminded Jesse Norman of Casablanca and how the problems of a beleaguered chancellor don’t amount to a hill of beans (plus VAT) in a crazy world https://t.co/DNPOWRQk1r

Why Christmas leaves me with bleeding knuckles from trying to deliver a church invitation to our parish community. Wrote this week’s Credo column in The Times https://t.co/70BtEb2H3F

You should all be keeping your decorations up until Candlemas, by the way. None of this Twelfth Night (or, worse, Boxing Day) nonsense. January is miserable so keep the lights burning

Glorious mishearing of @BBCRadio3 just now in an item on the feast of Candlemas (February 2). I thought the host said that “in medieval times many churches bought vast numbers of candles for eliminating the building”. On reflection, he may have said “illuminating”…

Oh for a proper winter in Blackheath when the duck pond freezes. Forecast so far tediously mild.

A cricket club founded by an expatriate lacemaker evolved into one of the wealthiest football sides in the world, writes @patrick_kidd https://t.co/OjyDybZzKz

If only @jameschappers had been right…

I’m worried about the impact that taking this Test into a fourth day is going to have on the England team’s golf game

Drinks for the England side during the 5th and final Test at The Oval in August 1926. No water carrier in a high-vis jacket sprinting on every five minutes, not even a blazered 12th man, but a waiter in full black tie. Standards

Well at least this is the worst Australian side for 15 years and three of their best bowlers have only bowled 12 balls between them or the Ashes could have been really one-sided.

The @cityoflondon has many delightful quirks and odd twists. It is worth noting that #Trump street leads directly onto a #Russia row. Whatever your view, this shows the prescience of our predecessors.

Obituary: Andreas Whittam Smith, founder of the Independent newspaper 🔗 @patrick_kidd https://t.co/LlExtqh0UP

Well it was pleasing

Joe Root's strike-rate for the innings is currently 66.66, which is pleasing

Glad that England could stay around long enough to let Root make his century. Now please, Stokes, don't make a funky declaration to get bowling at Australia today. Every run matters and I hope Root will still be going at 4am tomorrow.

It’s on

This innings feels like it’s going to end with Root on 99 not out. Or possibly with him the last man out, for 99, run out coming back for a third.